DS Smith ticks all the boxes to scoop a dozen award wins for packaging excellence

DS Smith is celebrating after scooping a dozen wins at the prestigious Starpack Awards 2014.

The long-standing Starpack Awards, now in their 56th year, aim to recognise and reward excellence in packaging design and technology and give participating companies the opportunity to showcase their innovative packaging solutions and major achievements in the past year.

No less than 12 honours were awarded to the corrugated packaging and supply cycle specialist, including a highly coveted Gold for its work on a brand new transit pack for world renowned folding bicycle manufacturer, Brompton Bicycle.

Starpack Award Winner Brompton Bicycle Box

DS Smith won the top prize for designing an innovative, high quality, one piece solution that matches the quality and innovation of the folding bicycles themselves. The new streamlined solution successfully reduced assembly line floor space by 50%, cut waste and costs by 10% and significantly improved consumers’ overall perception of quality and value.

Another impressive Gold was achieved for DS Smith’s ground breaking work with a leading chewing gum manufacturer, designing an innovative transit and retail ready corrugated display pack for a new range of flavoured chewing gums. The firm developed an effective solution which requires no gluing and is quick to insert product and ensures all flavours are fully accessible for consumers.    

Tony Foster, UK sales and marketing director at DS Smith said “Time and again brand owners and retailers tell us that they appreciate the expertise and experience we have built over many years in the packaging industry to provide innovative packaging solutions which meet and exceed the changing demands of consumers. We take great pride in designing and developing high quality, well-designed packaging that helps our customers to sell more of their products.”

The firm also scooped Silver for its innovative packaging designed for Jaguar Land Rover. DS Smith’s solution achieved 50% less packaging than the company’s original transit packs while storing twice as much product into the same space.

Foster added: “Our designers go the extra mile to delight customers and ensure our packaging delivers on all counts – through design innovation, creativity and awareness of environmental impacts. DS Smith’s corrugated products are versatile, strong, achieve high print performance and have highly sustainable qualities. 

“In today’s competitive environment, high quality packaging and print is a vital component in meeting increasingly discerning consumers’ demands. These awards are testament to the quality of our people and our investment in technology. They recognise the talent and hard work that goes into our innovative packaging solutions.”

DS Smith’s Starpack Awards include:

Transit business to consumer award

  • Gold for transit pack for Brompton folding bicycle
  • Bronze for a transit pack for a ceramic water filter cartridge

Retail ready award

  • Gold for a pack for a new range of flavoured chewing gum
  • Bronze for OptiShop Self Managing Pack

Transit business to business award   

  • Silver for transit pack for Jaguar Land Rover
  • Bronze for transit pack for a Rowlinson’s driveshaft

Best use of materials – corrugated paper and board

  • Gold for a pack for a new range of flavoured chewing gum
  • Bronze for easy erect asparagus tray for St Johns Farm
  • Commended for slip sheet for all logistical requirements

Creative and Sustainable Section - structural design

  • Commended for transit pack for Jaguar Land Rover

Creative and Sustainable Section - Graphic Design & Decoration

  • Commended for Walnut Whips display pack

Non food and drink primary packaging – home and gifts

  • Bronze for e.com postal pack